Multi-Barreled Backpack

ABSTRACT

A multi-barreled backpack that is suited to carry substantially tubular loads and which is supported by shoulder straps is disclosed. The backpack includes at least two sections that are of a shape and size sufficient to enclose a collapsible chair, or other similarly shaped loads such as fishing rods or mailing tubes. Additional such backpack sections may be included to carry additional such loads. The backpack may be constructed of nylon or another material, and includes at least one flap securing the contained load or loads thereby partially protecting the load or loads from environmental hazards such as rain. This backpack is particularly useful by people carrying two or more substantially tubular loads, such as collapsible chairs, since the weight of the load is supported across the wearer&#39;s shoulders, thereby freeing the wearer&#39;s hands for other purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of this application relates to a type of backpack designed to carry objects such as collapsible chairs, fishing rods, mailing tubes, and other similarly shaped items.

BACKGROUND

There are not many absolutes in life, but everyone likes to sit. As once stated by the character of Mr. Burns from the television show The Simpsons: “From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?”

Unfortunately, there are not always surfaces available that are comfortable to sit on. One solution for those people intending to go where there may not be adequate chairs is to bring their own chairs, and accordingly, many different types of folding or collapsible chairs are known in the art. Of particular interest to the subject matter of this application are chairs that fold along at least two coordinates such as length and width. Such chairs are known in the art, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,824,210 and 5,921,621 are merely two examples of these.

Although such collapsible chairs solve the problem of where to sit, they still need to be transported to their destination. Sheaths that hold such collapsible chairs are known in the art, although one still needs to either carry these items in one's hands or precariously sling them over a shoulder. Other backpacks known in the art may be used to transport such chairs, but their size is generally inadequate to completely encase such a chair, and if used to carry more than one such chair, these known backpacks allow the uneven edges of the collapsed chairs to interfere with each other making the insertion or extraction from the backpack of a single chair problematic. Such interference may also result in damage to the individual chairs.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is an object of this the subject matter of this application to provide a multi-barreled backpack, similar in some respects to known backpack type carrying devices, that supports two or more largely tubular loads such as those that are formed by collapsible chairs that fold along two coordinates, or mailing tubes. The multi-barreled backpack also physically separates the largely tubular loads from each other to eliminate or minimize contact between the loads. The multi-barreled backpack distributes the weight of its load across the wearer's back and allows the wearer to transport a load while freeing the wearer's hand for other tasks.

It is a further object of this application to provide such a multi-barreled backpack that itself is capable of being folded for storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a two-barreled backpack as worn by a person using it to carry a collapsible chair in each of this backpack's two compartments.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of the face of a multi-barreled backpack that is against a person's back when the multi-barreled backpack is worn.

FIG. 3 is a drawing of an empty multi-barreled backpack, as viewed from the side facing away from the wearer when worn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description and drawings referenced therein illustrate an embodiment of the application's subject matter. They are not intended to limit the scope. Those familiar with the art will recognize that other embodiments of the inventive concepts are possible. All such alternative embodiments should be considered within the scope of the invention.

Each reference number consists of three digits. The first digit corresponds to the figure number in which that reference number is first shown. Reference numbers are not necessarily discussed in the order of their appearance in the figures.

The multi-barreled backpack disclosed in this application is comprised of at least two compartments [101, 102] of a size and shape to accommodate and hold in position a largely tubular load such as one of a type of collapsible chair that folds on two coordinates such as length and width (a “folding chair”). All such compartments have a bottom portion [303] that may be sewn together, formed by a fold in the material used to create the multi-barreled backpack, or otherwise secured so that a load is held in in the compartment. Those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will appreciate that these bottom portions may also be formed by rectangular bottoms with pleated sides (“satchel” bottoms) similar to those discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 279,505, 255,204, and 3,395,622. Said compartments also have a right side and a left side [for example, 308, 309 are the right and left sides of compartment [102] that are sewn, formed by a fold in the material, or otherwise secured to form a largely continuous edge so that the folding chair or other load is held inside the confines of the relevant compartment. The multi-barreled backpack has an outer face [105] that faces away from the wearer [106] when in place on the wearer's back, and an inner face [202] that is against the wearer's back when the multi-barreled backpack is worn. The multi-barreled backpack also comprises of at least one covering means [103, 104] that secures the folding chair or other load and shields the folding chair or other load from environmental hazards such as rain. In a preferred embodiment, these covering means may be covering flap or flaps that can be reversibly buckled to the multi-barreled backpack's said outer face with appropriate fastening hardware, such as side release buckles, that are well known in the relevant arts [301, 302]. In another preferred embodiment, said covering means incorporate a drawstring or cinch closure. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other covering means may be used to secure and protect the folding chair or similarly shaped load.

Two shoulder straps [201] are connected to the inner face [202] of the multi-barreled backpack. The upper ends, and the lower ends, of the shoulder straps are sewn or otherwise secured to the inner face of the multi-barreled backpack. In a preferred embodiment, the straps are adjustable through the use of slides [203] or other similar hardware that is well known in the art. In an embodiment, the straps may also consist of an upper and a lower end portion that are reversibly connected through the use of side release buckles or similar hardware that is known by others of skill in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the multi-barreled backpack is largely constructed out of a single piece of nylon or another material with similar physical properties. In this embodiment, said covering flap or flaps [103, 104] may either be continuous with the rest of the multi-barreled backpack, or may be sewn or otherwise secured to the multi-barreled backpack. In this preferred embodiment, a sheet of material—that is approximately twice the length of the largely tubular load intended to be placed within the finished multi-barreled backpack and approximately as wide, or slightly wider, than the number of desired compartments multiplied by the calculated width needed to accommodate the intended largely tubular load to be carried—forms the starting material (the “sheet”). In this preferred embodiment, the sheet is folded along it's width, forming the bottom [303] of the said compartments (the “folded sheet”. When so folded, the outer [105] and inner [202] faces are formed. The inner and outer faces are sewn or otherwise secured to each other by seams running the along the the two vertical edges [307, 306] of the folded sheet from the said bottom [303] to the top of the multi-barreled backpack [305]. In the case of a multi-barreled backpack with two compartments as disclosed, an additional seam runs the height of the folded sheet from said bottom [303] to said top of the multi-barreled backpack [305] in approximately the center of the folded sheet [304]. In the most preferred embodiment, the height of the multi-barreled backpack from bottom [303] to top [305] is between 36 and 42 inches, which is sufficient to accommodate most chairs that fold along at least two coordinates, and the width of each of two compartments being approximately between 15 and 22 inches so that the compartment can accommodate a tubular load of between approximately 5 and 7 inches in diameter. 

1. A backpack that comprises: a. at least two compartments, each of which comprises a left side, right side, bottom side, top side, front side, and back side; so that each compartment's left side and right side are parallel to each other and are the same length, and each compartment's top side and bottom side are parallel to each other and are the same length; i. whereby, when in use, each said compartment's said back side abuts the back of the backpack user, and each said compartment's said front side faces away from the backpack user, thereby forming the back side and front side of said backpack; ii. said bottom side, left side, and right side of a compartment's back side are sewn or otherwise secured to the bottom side, left side, and right side of said compartment's front side, respectively, so that a pocket is formed that is open along said compartment's said top side; iii. said backpack being comprised of flexible material such as nylon or similar fabric, so that the insertion of a rigid or semi-rigid load such as a collapsible chair that folds along at least two coordinates such as length and width, a mailing tube, or other largely tubular load, into one of said backpack's constituent compartment portions, will lend rigidity and form to the compartment, further defining the said front side, back side, top side, bottom side, top side, left side, and right side of said compartment; iv. each said compartment's right side and left side longer than that compartment's bottom side and top side, so that a cylinder inserted into such compartment would, when worn by a user, be held so that such cylinder's axis would be roughly parallel to the user's longitudinal axis; b. one or more covering means that may partially or completely cover one or more of said compartments' said top sides; c. two shoulder straps that are sewn or otherwise secured to the backpack that allow the wearer to support and carry the backpack and its contents across the wearer's shoulders, thereby feeing the wearer's hands for other tasks;
 2. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said covering means comprises a single flap extending from said backpack's said back side that is capable of extending over the said compartments' said top sides and being reversibly secured to said backpack's said front side.
 3. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said covering means comprises a number of flaps extending from said backpack's said back side, each of which said flap is capable of extending over a single compartment's said top side and being reversibly secured to said backpack's said front side.
 4. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said covering means comprises a single piece of material, extending from the top of said backpack so that all of said backpack's said compartments' said top sides may be covered by said covering means, the edge of this covering means furthest from said compartments' said top sides further comprising a drawstring type closure.
 5. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said covering means comprises a number of pieces of material, wherein each of said pieces of material extends from the top of a single said compartment of backpack so that each of said backpack's said compartments' may be covered by one of said covering means, the edge of each covering means furthest from said compartments' said top sides further comprising a drawstring type closure. 